Fire-escape



(No Model.) W. MOOAUGHEY. 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

FIRE ESCAPE. No. 270,451. Patented Jan. 9, 1888 7 A: N I}: l 0 a J TJIFY J Y- 7 N. PETERS. Plmmumq lwr. Wnshingkm. D. C.

(K0 Model.) 7 W 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

FIRE ESCAPE. No. 270,451. Patented Jan.9,1 883.

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v (No Model.) W: MGGAUGHEY. 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

FIRE BSGAPE.

Patented Jan.9,1883i UNITED STATES.

PATENT Fries.

WILLIAM MOOAUGHEY, 0F GREENVILLE, OHIO.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,451, dated January9, 1883.

" Application filed May 31, 1882. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MCCAUGHEY, of Green ville, in the county ofDarke and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement inPortable Extension-Ladder and Fire-Escape and Truck, which improvementis fully set forth in the following specification and accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the portableextension-ladder and lire'escape. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of thefront end enlarged. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the adjnsting-brace for the forward end. Fig. 4 is a top view of the rear end.Fig. 5 is a side view of same. Fig. 6 is a top view of the central partof the frame, showing the arrangement of the mechanism and dispositionof the lazy-tongs system thereon. Fig. 7 is a front view of same, partlyin section. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the upper end of thelazy-tongs, showing attachment of same to the eaves of a building; andFig. 9, aview of same, showing manner of attaching the ladders.

The object of the present invention is to provide a portable firemansextension-ladder and escape, so arranged that the body of the truckcontains suitable racks and apartments for ladders, hooks, buckets,lJlOck and tackle ropes, and all the paraphernalia now usually requiredand used by hook-and-ladder or firepatrol companies, and in addition itis designed to have, first, an extensible lazy-tongs system, which ishinged centrally to the body of a. truck and capable of being elevatedat any angle to or from the building, or folded and laid horizontally onthe trucks when not in use; second, a hinged derrick on the forward endof the truck, which is intended to be laid horizontally on the truckwhen not in use, or elevated to a vertical positionand secured by meansof peculiarly -constructed adjustable braces, the whole of which isemployed to raise the lazy-tongs and regulate the same; third,

a Windlass on the rear end, provided with a multiplying or reducinggear, by means of which articles may be raised or lowered, or to providefor an escape-basket or for a hoseelevator, all of which will now befully set forth in detail.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the longitudinal beams of anordinary truck of suitable length, having preferably a bottom orfloor,B,between. These beamsare mounted on wheels of the usualconstruction. The space between the beams on the floor Bis designed forthe reception ofladders, buckets, and tools, such as are desirable intrucks of this character. Below the bottom are two or more arches, U, toreceive ladders, poles, hooks, 81c. Centrally on the, beams are uprightsor bearings D- -one on eachside-designed to receive a cross-shaft, E,which is journaled there. ends of the shaft E is a pinion, F, whichpinions mesh with the smaller pinions F on the parallel shaft G,journaledin the bearings G on the beams. This shaft has at each end a.crank, and on one end a ratchet-wheel, H, and a pawl, H, operatingtherein for the ordinary uses of retaining the shaft in position.Between the beams the cross-shaft E is provided On each of theprojecting.

with a rocking base-piece composed of the end pieces or blocks, I, andthe alternating binding pieces or plates K, as shown more clearly inFigs. 6 and 7, having two archshaped pieces or A-shaped extensions, 1,on the rear side. Centrally the rocking piece 1 is provided with acavity to receive the operating mechanism.

J is a journal bearing piece, cross-shaped,

through the horizontal limb of which the shaft- E passes. The verticallimbs are eat-1h provided with sockets, in which the vertical shafts Jare journaled. The outer ends of these shafts J are journaled in the.facing-plates K. These shafts J carry on their inner ends thebevel-pi'nions L L, which mesh on opposite sides with the bevel-pinion Lon the crossshaft E. It will be observed that the two bevel-pinion'sL'revolve in opposite directions.

The apex of the arches lhaspivoted thereto on each side segments M M,whose toothed edges mesh with the small pinions M on the vertical shaftJ. The segments are held in one plane by means of roller-guides N,secured to the face-plate K. The segments M M are provided withoppositely-disposed arms 0, which form the base of the lazy-tongs column0. When motion is applied to the crankson the cross-shaft G the segmentsM are turned in opposite directions and the column extended orcontracted.

journal of the cross-drum b.

On the forward end of the truck is a derrickframe, P, of suitableheight, hinged to the truck by the cross-rod P, so that when it is notin use it may be laid back down onto the truck. This frame is providedwith a drum, Q, pawl and ratchet-wheel Q at one end,and reducinggear-wheelsR and crank R atthe. opposite end. A rope, S, on the drum Q,and extending up over a suitable pulley at the top of the frame, andextending thence to the lazy-tongs column, serves to elevate said columnfrom a horizontal to a vertical position. 0n the rear side of the postsof the frame P are placed vertical bars T, parallel therewith, having atthe lower ends loops '1".

U U represent braces provided at the upper ends with eyes U, which hangon the bars T, or slide thereon. The lower ends of these braces arecurved and provided in their upper faces with slots U. A flat spring, V,attached to the beam A, has on its under side a lug or stud, V, which isdesigned to enter the slot U of the brace U when the foot of the braceis placed under said spring. For the purpose of readily guiding the footof said brace to andunder the spring Va recess is cut in the beam A, anda shoulder, A, formed, against which the foot of the brace U is designedto rest. The beam is further provided with a bar or rod, W, which isattached to the beams A in the region of the shoulder A, and is curvedupwardly slightly, and extends forward to the end of the beam and isattached thereto. The under side of the foot of the brace U has an eyeor loop,\V, through which the rod or bar W operates, so that the foot ofthe brace U slides on said bar or rod.

Guy-rods or stay-chains (not shown) from the beam A to the frame P maybe attached to regulate the forward throw of said frame.

It will be observed that when the derrickframe is in position, as shownin Fig.2, to elevate the lazy-tongs column, the upper ends of the bracesare kept from turning by virtue of the lug V and slot U. \Vhen it isdesired to lower the frame P the spring V is raised, disengaging lug V,when the foot is turned to one side. This movement permits the eyes U tomove out of the loops T and travel up the rods T. At the same time thelower ends of the braces travel forwardly on the rods \V, permitting theframe to be lowered to the rear.

The rear end of the truck has on each beam a standard, a, which serve asbearings for the One end of the drum-shaft is provided with alargepinion, C, and the opposite end with a small pinion, (I. A shortdistance forward of the drum are similar standards, a, which serve asbearings for the cross-shaft f, parallel with the drum, and having onone end a large pinion, g, and on the opposite end a small pinion, h.The large pinion C on the drum-shaft meshes with the small pinion h onthe crank-shaft, and the small pinion d on the opposite end with thelarge pinion g; but the pinions on the crankshaft are so placed thatonly one of the pinions will mesh at one time with the pinions on thedrum-shaft, and the crank-shaft is therefore provided with alimitedend-play in its journals, so that the speed to the crank-shaft .may beincreased or diminished at will.

A permanent cross bar, t, is attached to the beams A, between the drumand crank-shaft, to which is attached near the opposite ends the upperends of two curved springs,j. These springs extend around the drumtotherear and down, projecting forward beneaththe drum, Where they areattached to a cross-bar, 1 To this bar centrally is attached a rope, I,which connects with the drum of a brake, m, said brake being providedwith a suitable pawl and ratchet, n. to hold the drum b at any point.The drum has wound around it a rope, o, the opposite end of which goesover a suitable pulley on the upper end of the lazy-tongs column, andextends thence down to the ground, as shown in detail in Figs. 1 and 8.

The upper end of the lazy-tongs column 0 is provided with hooks p, whichare designed to grapple the roof or eaves of a building. The two lastsections q q of the lazy-tongs are provided with a chain, r, secured tothe opposite sides. To this chain a ladder, .9, may be attached by meansof a hook, t, so'that the upper end of the ladder projects above theeaves. At the lower end of the ladder is a hook, it, to which a ropeladder, v, reaching to the ground, may be attached, as shown in Fig. 9.Centrally on the cross-pieces q q is a pulley, over which runs the rope0 from the drum 0.

The operation is as follows: The lazy-tongs column, when the machine isnot in use, lies horizontally on the truck, and the derrickframe P alsorests horizontally on the top of the column 0. The racks O and floor Breceive the ladders, buckets, hooks, and other equipments. A truck thussupplied is ready for any emergency in case of a tire. When the truckarrives at the place where it is designed for use the rear end is backedup against the curb, and the forward ends of the hinged braces B on thesideof the beams A are secured to the ground by means of pins 0 throughthe foot, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1. Thus the truck is securelyadjusted to prevent a forward or sidewise movement or play. is thenraised to a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, the eyes U4 beingplaced so they rest in the loops T, and the foot of the brace U movedforward, so that the lug V on spring V engages with the slot or notchU,the whole resting against the shoulder A, to prevent the frame P frombeing drawn back toward the lazy-tongs column. The crank R is then setin motion, causing the rope S to travel around the drum Q, and therebyelevate the column 0, which, when raised to the proper angle,is ready tobe projected upward. To accomplish this the cranks on the cross-shaft Gare set in The derrick-frame P at the forward end' motion, which causethe toothed sectors M to travel in opposite directions, so that theupper ends of the arms 0 approach each other, thus projecting the columnupward until the prongs or hooks p. grapple the eaves of the building,as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In the meantime the brake on the drutn b hasbeen disengaged, so as to permit the rope o to unwind. A guy rope orchain, D,secured at opposite ends to the arch I and to the beams A,serves to hold the column on the sides to steady it from lateralvibration. The device is now ready for operation.

The column is not designed as a ladder, but simply gs a means whereby aladder may be raised to the top story of a building and as a means ofelevating a basket, such as is shown in Fig. 8, to the upper story also.

The ladder s is preferably attached to the various objects desirable ina machine of this ions M M, in combination with the base-piece I,mounted on shaft E, having the arch I, provided with the toothed sectorsM M, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown.

2. The derrick-frame P,containing the drum Q, provided on the rear sidewith the rods T. having at the lower end the loops T, with the braces U,substantially as herein shown.

3. The side beams, A, having near theforward end the shoulder A, andoverlapping spring V, having on the under forward side the lug or studV, said beam being also provided with the curved rod or bar W on theinner side. extending back from the shoulder A, in combination with thebrace U on the derrick,engaged at its lower end with the rod W, andprovided on the upper face of its foot with a slot, groove, or notcb,U,substantially as herein shown.

4. The crank-shaft f, having a limited endwise movement and providedwith the pinions v g h on the opposite ends, and the drum [2, having onits ends the pinionsc d, in cotnbination with the frictional curvedspringsjaronnd said drnin, the cross-piece It, and the brake 'm and ropeZ. substantially as herein set forth.

5. The column 0, having at the upper end the pendent chain 7, incombination with the ladders, having the hookstu, and the rope laddert2, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this22d day of May, 1882, in the presence of witnesses.

WILLIAM MCGAUGHEY.

Witnesses:

S. L. KoLP, JAMES B. KoLP.

